


A Mother's Love Surpasses All Other Loves

by Genie60



Series: Poldark Series 3-This and That [12]
Category: Poldark (TV 2015)
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Secrets, Love, Marriage, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, Reconciliation, S3, Self-Medication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 08:09:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11413761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genie60/pseuds/Genie60
Summary: S3 drabble (even though it's more than the legal 1000 words).A take on Mothers and children, husbands and wives.





	A Mother's Love Surpasses All Other Loves

**Author's Note:**

> From a bedtime thought that wouldn't go away....Another "sneak at work fic" so I apologize if it's a bit sloppy. This one could have gone on and on. but I controlled myself.

Demelza sat in the parlor, nursing her daughter, rocking her to sleep.  As she looked down at her fair haired, fair skinned child, she was once again in awe of her.  After Jeremy and all that happened between her and Ross, she never contemplated that another child would come so soon. However, after their breach, the reconciliation between came fast and furious. Once they decided that their love and marriage was worth fighting for, the road back to each other happened swiftly.  Nights filled with passion that reacquainted them with the lovers they were in that first year naturally led to her becoming pregnant. Ironically it was as another child was being born that she told Ross of her condition.  She was sure he wouldn’t be pleased considering the surrounding atmosphere of the unspoken business at Trenwith; the arrival of her brothers and the war that was hitting too close to home.  But as Clowance Poldark made her entrance into the world and this family, she was clearly a sign of things to come, not things that had passed.

Putting any negative thoughts out of her mind, she rose to place her daughter in the cradle that sat next to her spinet.  Once bundled and secure, Demelza sat down and began to play a soft tune to lull her daughter into slumber.  Completely wrapped up in the moment, she was unaware that Ross stood in the doorway watching the scene until she felt his hands on her shoulders and his lips on her cheek. A flash of days gone by came to her as he had often done the same thing when Julia was small.  A brief moment of sadness filled her quickly replaced by happiness.

“I see my girls are both content today,” he whispered in her ear. 

“Yes, my love.  Most definitely,” she replied.

Demelza turned her body so that she could look into his eyes. It never failed that lately, whenever she looked at him either she or he would find themselves overcome with emotion that more often than not led to tears.  This time they both saw it in each other and broke into wide grins. Pulling Demelza up into his arms, Ross kissed her.  As it was in the garden moments earlier when they spoke of Drake and Morwenna, so too now the kiss went from warm and loving to heated and passionate.  It never ceased to amaze them, this electricity they had that even in time of strife, never faltered.  Even in the dark days of last year, when all seemed hopeless, the crackle between them could not be ignored. Hurt, pain and mistrust had weakened it but when the time was right, it flowed anew.  Hence the arrival of Clowance. 

“My love, “Ross murmured as he kissed his way down her throat to her shoulder. “Have you anything pressing to do at the moment?”

Demelza smiled as one hand wove into her hair while the other took hold of his lapel, holding him firmly against her.

“No Ross I don’t think so. Clowance is sleeping and Jeremy is with Prudie.  Is there something you needed?” she asked coyly.

“You.”

“But ‘tis the middle of the day.  I don’t think this is proper behavior for a ‘lady’, do you?” she teased.

Ross pulled up and looked at her. There was a glint in her eye that told him she was fine with being less than proper which made him love her all the more.  He was forever grateful that he was given a second chance where they could begin their lives anew.  It clarified for him that whatever he thought he wanted with Elizabeth would never compare to this love.  Without another thought of the past, he took her by the hand and led her upstairs ready to show her just how much he needed her.

 

**~~**~~**

Elizabeth sat in her bedroom gazing at the cradle that held her son.  The almost year old child of she and George Warleggan was still as fussy as a newborn. So unlike Geoffrey Charles who was a calm, pleasant child, Valentine seemed to never be content, always wanting something more and then, when he got it, still fretted.  She tried to churn up maternal feelings that would help her understand him but they just would not come.  Elizabeth tried to determine where the disconnection came from but in truth, wanted to deny any reasoning behind it.   Her heart told her that no matter what else, Valentine was her child so she should love him unconditionally.  However, when she looked at him, all she saw was the muddled history of his conception and birth both of which could be explained away logically. But emotionally, it was not quite as simple.  She even avoided tending the child herself in the early days by employing a wet nurse and nanny as was the custom for women in her station.  With Geoffrey Charles, she looked forward to those mother and child times as a bonding experience.  Not so with Valentine. George never questioned and she never offered an explanation.

Now as she sat at her dressing table, preparing for another ball, her son cried for her again.  Alone without a servant nearby she picked him up and willed herself to summon the motherly love she knew she should feel.  An inkling of warmth came but nothing like the overwhelming love she knew was expected of her. After a few minutes of bouncing him against her breast, she placed the child back in the cradle and returned to her primping.  As usual, there was a glass of port beside her already treated with her liquid peace. She took a sip as George entered the room, dressed and ready to go.  Elizabeth sat still waiting for his inevitable cooing over Valentine that lately grated on her nerves.  Keeping her focus on herself she ignored the scene playing out next to her.  After a few moments of George and son bonding time, her husband came to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders, his mouth next to her ear.

“You look lovely my dear.  I’m sure you’ll outshine everyone tonight,” he said softly.

The feeling of his breath on her skin sent a chill down her spine, not of excitement but rather of dread for what she anticipated would come later that evening.  As was usual on nights such as these, George would seek her out, his adrenaline surging, especially if the night proved successful. It took some months for them to find a connection in the bedroom and ironically enough that occurred most often when they were angered by something a Poldark had done. Then the passion between them rose quickly, spurring them to a hard and fast release. There were no tender words of love, no sweet caresses after.  Just pure, raw, physical release.  For Elizabeth, it was similar to another time she had that kind of encounter.  She drove that thought from her head with a sip of her port as she looked at George in the mirror.

“Thank you.  Are you looking forward to the evening, George?” she asked sweetly.

“Most definitely. And if things go as planned, I am looking forward to a private celebration later,” he said as he placed a kiss on her neck.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Fortunately, these nights were scarce so she only had to endure them sporadically.

“Yes.  Let me finish getting dressed and I’ll meet you downstairs. And can you send Martha up to take Valentine?  He should go to his room now,” she said. 

George peered at his wife and wondered where the loving mother he saw with Geoffrey Charles had gone.  For all her over-attentiveness to that brat, his son got the opposite.  He didn’t over think it as he was glad that he had Elizabeth on his arm as a partner in this new life and if she chose to raise her son as a proper society wife did so be it.

“Very well my dear. I will be waiting for you. Don’t be long,” George said with a parting kiss.

Elizabeth watched as he left and took another swill of her drink.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something to tide you over. Next chapter of "Nothing" will be up soon. Promise.
> 
> Thanks to all who continue to support, read, cheerlead, message and listen.


End file.
